The City of Cockburn is progressive, community minded and focused on sustainable living. Find out more including the latest news around town, Cockburn history, the economy and our demographic profile, business and technology, and issues and projects you can comment on.

Find on this page

If you have been a resident of Australia for the last four years and live in the City of Cockburn, then read on to find out how to apply for Australian Citizenship!

The City carries out a number of ceremonies throughout the year for Cockburn residents to receive Australian Citizenship from the Commonwealth Department of Home Affairs.

How do I apply for citizenship?

Obtain an application form (one for each person applying) by calling the Immigration Hotline on 131 881 who will post out the necessary forms. Alternatively, you can download the forms https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au/trav/citi

Fill in the forms and get the relevant documents together. Then call the Department of Home Affairs (131 881) to arrange an interview at their office in Perth. Every person applying must go to the interview (eg: a wife cannot go on behalf of her husband). The cost is approximately $285 per person (as at January 2018).

Children 15 years and under don't need to apply, they are included on their parent's application. Anyone 16 years and over will need to complete a separate application. The application form lists what documents you must take with you to the interview, which should take about one hour.

The process

After several weeks, you will receive a letter from the Department of Home Affairs stating the outcome of your application. If successful, you will be emailed an official invitation approximately four weeks before your ceremony date. Ceremonies are usually held on a Monday or Tuesday at 6pm.

If you cannot attend the ceremony, please contact the City on 08 9411 3444 and we will move you to the next available date. Please note, in some cases, you may need to wait two to three months for the next available ceremony.

The whole process, from when you go to your interview to the time we swear you in is about three to six months. If you wish to be sworn in with family or friends who are also applying for citizenship, you must let Immigration know so they will link your applications together.

Passports

If you need a passport, a passport application can be lodged at your local post office after you receive your citizenship. It takes approximately 14 working days and requires a separate application form which you can get from your local post office.

Lost citizenship certificates

If you have lost your certificate and need evidence of your Australian citizenship, you must call the Department of Home Affairs on 131881. They will send you an application for Evidence of Citizenship. The cost is approximately $190 per person.

Tips

Apply early! If you are going to travel and wish to go on an Australian Passport, are going to university and want to apply for the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) or are applying for a job requiring Australian Citizenship, apply well in advance to avoid disappointment.

November/December/January/February are our busiest months for ceremonies, so try and avoid applying at this time to avoid long wait times.

Frequently asked questions

Q - I want to apply for Australian Citizenship, can you send me the forms?

A: You need to contact the Department of Immigration and Border Protection on 131 881 who will send you the appropriate forms.

Q: How often do you hold the citizenship ceremonies?

A: The City of Cockburn holds citizenship ceremonies once a month, except for December.

Q: I have received my approval letter. Can I book into the next ceremony?

A: Not necessarily. Immigration sends approval data to Council once every two weeks. We cannot confirm your ceremony date without having first received your approval details from Immigration. Once received, we will then allocate you to the next available ceremony and an invitation will be emailed to you approximately four weeks before the ceremony.

Q: I am unable to attend the ceremony I have been invited to. Can I re-schedule?

A: Yes. We can move you to the next available ceremony. You may have to wait up to three months for your ceremony if the next one is full.

A: No. Immigration no longer allows Councils to hold private ceremonies. We can only allocate you to our next available ceremony date (allowing five weeks for your certificate to be ordered from the Department of Immigration and Border Protection in Canberra).

The Department of Immigration and Border Protection have their own urgent Ceremonies Officer (Phone: 131 881) who takes requests for private/urgent ceremonies. The Officer will determine whether your situation qualifies for an urgent ceremony. You will be required to fill out a form which can be emailed back to ceremony.wa@homeaffairs.gov.au

Q: I live in another Council. Can I have my ceremony at Cockburn?

A: No. We can only accommodate Cockburn residents.

Important information

Ceremonies are closed off at least 4 weeks before the ceremony date to allow time for invitations to be emailed and certificates ordered from Immigration in Canberra. We may close off a ceremony earlier if numbers have reached maximum capacity.

We do our best to accommodate fly-in/fly-out workers and people who are travelling. Please phone the City's Citizenship Coordinator on 08 9411 3444 (Monday to Friday between 8.30pm and 4.30pm) to discuss your situation.